Howl: Leah Clearwater

Chapter 1

I leap into the forest and change.

For a split second, I feel the pain of my bones bending and breaking and then I feel only calmness. All my human troubles leave me when I am a wolf. It's one of the only reasons why I like being a werewolf.

I remember the first time I changed. It was shortly after my father died, I had run off into the forest, hoping to be alone. I ran and ran and ran. I ran for what seemed like forever. I stopped in a clearing, puffing from the exertion of the run. I looked up, realising after a moment, that I was lost. I screamed with fury and I felt my body ripping apart.

My clothes tore and my hands changed to claws. It took a while, but eventually I changed. I was so alone, and so afraid. But I felt a soothing voice in my head, it told me to remain calm and explained what was happening. It sounded so familiar, but I was too scared to recognise the voice. I heard other voices too, but only in the background.

I howled, scared and unsure of what was happening. I could hear everything and see everything. It was so overwhelming. All of my senses had been multiplied by a thousand. I heard a number of howls in the distance.

Out of the bush, came one, two, three, four, five wolves. The black one, who stood in front of the others and appeared to be the leader, looked like something out of a child's nightmares.

They stood, tall and silent, waiting for my reaction. I stood tall, looking the black one in the eye. His eyes were like dark tunnels, with no ending. I'm scared, but I stand my ground.

Leah, the black one calls.

What is happening to me? I asked.

You are a shape changer, a spirit warrior. You have transformed for the first time into your wolf form. After this, it will become much easier to change between forms. He said.

How do I get back to normal? I asked, quivering.

You must calm yourself down enough to change back into your human form. If you get mad, and you cannot control yourself, you will change back into a wolf. He answered.

I breathed in counting my breathes slowly, until, I felt the tug of my muscles and the straining of my skin. I swallowed bracing my self for the pain and instead find myself standing, naked, in front of a group of teenage boys, who are also naked.

I jumped, and struggled to cover myself before they got a good glimpse. The front one, who I realised was Sam, was looking at the floor and shaggy haired guy next to him chuckles, while looking away. I was really embarrassed. No one had seen me naked since I was seven.

One of they guys chucks me a shirt, which is several sizes to big and I put it on, anxious to cover my body from prying eyes.

"Leah, you are apart of our pack now. I am your alpha. It is our duty to protect Quilete land and all humans from vampires." Sam said.

"Vampires. As in, the monsters who drink people's blood and sleep in coffins. Wow, I think you guys have changed one to many times because that is absolutely ludicrous" I laughed.

"I assure you, it is no joke. Vampires are real. It is the reason why we exist. To fight off the monsters who threaten human life." He replied.

"Your serious. Ok, um, I'm going to go back to my house, and tell my mum that I am a spirit warrior who is supposed to fight off vampires. See you all later. Oh, by the way, if I catch any of you thinking about what you saw tonight, I will kill you in your sleep. Got it" I said.

Wow. And I thought life was complicated before.